Attitudes of Algerian University Students Toward Content Calling for an Economic Boycott of Products Supporting Israel on Social Media Platforms, and Its Relationship With Purchasing Behavior

Abstract

This study examines the attitudes of Algerian university students toward Facebook content that calls for an economic boycott of products and brands presented as supporting Israel, and it measures the relationship between exposure to that content and boycott-supportive purchasing behavior. The study follows a descriptive-analytical design. Data were collected by an online questionnaire from a sample of 102 students who use Facebook. The instrument is organized into four sections: screening questions and background characteristics, exposure and interaction, attitudes toward boycott content, and the reflection of that content in purchasing behavior. Reliability was high. Cronbach’s alpha reached .903 for the attitude scale and .897 for the purchasing-behavior scale. The overall mean was 3.776 out of five for attitudes and 3.575 for purchasing behavior, which indicates favorable attitudes and a relatively high level of boycott-supportive purchasing behavior. Exposure was positively and significantly associated with purchasing behavior (r = .503, p < .001). The association between attitudes and purchasing behavior was stronger (r = .595, p < .001). A regression model showed that exposure and attitudes together accounted for 41 percent of the variance in purchasing behavior. The study concludes that Facebook does more than circulate lists of products. It also helps construct the moral meaning of the boycott, strengthens a sense of responsibility, and supplies a social and symbolic pressure that supports the passage from attitude to purchasing action.